World Travel Market has launched a new online portal, WTM Global Hub, to connect and support travel industry professionals around the world.

The resource offers the latest guidance and knowledge to help exhibitors, buyers and others in the travel industry face the challenges of the global coronavirus pandemic.

WTM Portfolio – the parent brand for World Travel Market - London, World Travel Market - Latin America, Arabian Travel Market, World Travel Market - Africa, Travel Forward and other key travel trade events – is tapping into its global network of experts to create content for the hub.

The platform will be regularly updated to deal with the evolving demands of the pandemic and to share ideas about preparing for recovery.

Claude Blanc, World Travel Market portfolio director, said: “We are living in an extraordinary time and the World Travel Market team is committed to support the travel industry as it adapts to the unique challenges of coronavirus – and prepares for recovery.

“Our annual events connect 110,000 industry professionals from 182 countries, offering unrivalled commercial opportunities and business insights.

“We have always augmented our face-to-face events with valuable online resources throughout the year, and now we are ramping up that support with WTM Global Hub.”

One of the highlights at the launch will be a webinar from Oxford Economics, which is a leader in global forecasting and quantitative analysis, taking place on April 28th at 16:00 BST.

The company has predicted that the pandemic will mean that the global GDP will shrink by about seven per cent in the first half of 2020 but there will be a rebound in the second half of the year.

Global GDP looks set to fall by 2.8 per cent overall in 2020, with some permanent loss of output for the global economy.

During the webinar, Oxford Economics will focus on the effects that Covid-19 is having on the travel and tourism industries around the globe.

Attendees will be able to ask questions during the webinar.

A second webinar will feature Simon Calder, the well-known British travel journalist and broadcaster.

A regular writer for British newspapers and a commentator about travel on TV, who is also a keen attendee of World Travel Market - London.

The third webinar will feature Nick Hall, from the Digital Tourism Think Tank, speaking with Jeremy Jauncey, who has also presented at World Travel Market - London.

The founder and chief executive of travel website Beautiful Destinations, Jauncey is an expert on social media and content creation.

Part of the Global Hub content will be provided in Spanish and Portuguese by World Travel Market - Latin America, which will also be adding Latin American content.

The hub will feature seven sections:

• Virtual Events: Interactive webinars offering essential advice to help travel businesses cope with the current crisis and thrive in the future.
• Podcasts: Expert-led discussions with insights to guide you through these times.
• On-demand: A library of videos from industry speakers and professionals, offering information and inspiration.
• Blogs: Must-read articles with updates and trends from key industry professionals and experts.
• Responsible tourism: A core element of traditional World Travel Market events, this section will be updated with reports from the responsible and sustainable travel sector.
• Travel technology: Keep abreast of developments in this rapidly changing arena.
• Your travel community: A place to share positive news from travel professionals about how they are supporting the industry and others around the world.

Blanc concludes: “Webinars, podcasts, videos, news and blogs from key industry figures will provide travel professionals with a wealth of information, advice and support to cope with the current crisis and plan ahead for a ‘new normal’.

“I am very pleased to announce our first three webinars will feature analysis from Oxford Economics, as well as expert comment from Simon Calder and Jeremy Jauncey, as they will help guide the industry through these tough times and into a post-coronavirus world.

“We will travel again, and we will meet at World Travel Market events in the future. Until that time comes, WTM Global Hub will keep you informed, inspired and connected.”